Pushing the Envelope: Innovation At XChange In San Jose

The XChange Tech Innovators 2008 conference opens Monday in San Jose, Calif., with attention focused on a variety of new technology, techniques and products introduced during the past year by a variety of companies throughout IT.

The three-day gathering at the Fairmont Hotel is highlighted Monday by a keynote speech from Robert Tucker, president of The Innovation Source, whose address was focused on sharing information from three years of research and insight from a study of 23 "Innovation Vanguard" companies. On Tuesday, more than a dozen companies will be honored in VARBusiness's annual awards for the industry's top tech innovators -- highlighting envelope-pushing breakthroughs from companies throughout the IT spectrum. Technologies from segments including virtualization, desktops, notebooks, security, storage and more will be feted.

The event is drawing solution providers from more than 100 companies in North America and is sponsored by about three dozen technology providers.

This year, discussions at the conference will include major advances in wireless technology, new form factors in both desktops and notebooks and innovations in IT security. On Wednesday, a keynote will include a discussion with Tom Ribble, Lenovo's director of ThinkPad marketing, on a number of advances the Raleigh, N.C.-based company has brought to market this year in a series of products -- including the ThinkPad X300 -- as well as the company's R&D, innovation and engineering processes.

Lenovo's X300 was considered a breakthrough for business notebooks when it launched earlier this year, in a sub-three pound form factor, with performance and battery life boosted by a solid state drive and without having to surrender an optical drive -- as other thin and lights have done -- to reach design and engineering milestones.

Everything Channel editors will also lead two days of think tank sessions on mobility, virtualization and Software as a Service - - areas that have seen both innovation and growth during the past 12 months.

The conference extends from Monday through Wednesday.